EU finalises emissions pledge for UN climate summit

Environment ministers from the European Union member states are likely to adopt on Friday (6 March) an official EU emissions reduction pledge to be presented at United Nations climate talks in Paris at the end of the year.

EU leaders agreed last year to offer an emissions reduction of “at least 40%” at the Paris talks. The EU has asked all parties attending the global talks to come forward during the first quarter of this year with an emissions reduction pledge – known as an Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC) – with details of how and when they will reach their targets.

Last month the European Commission published a draft version of the Paris offer. There is concern from some countries, notably Germany, that the draft’s inclusion of emissions from land-use change as part of the INDC could result in such emissions being counted twice towards the target, reducing actual emissions saved by as much as 5%. Germany will push for land-use change emissions to be removed from the INDC.

It will be up to ministers to adopt their own ‘official’ INDC, with Commission input. A draft prepared for Friday’s meeting is light on details. For instance, there is only a cursory mention of climate adaptation and finance, even though these are crucial to building goodwill diplomatically with developing countries, as part of the Paris agreement.

There has been disagreement between member states about how detailed the INDC should be. Some ministers are pushing for discussion to be bumped up to the level of EU leaders, at the European Council of 19-20 March.

Climate campaigners are also calling for a climate debate at the European Council. Jason Anderson, a campaigner with WWF, said the draft currently on the table represents “a bare-bones compromise that leaves out important elements like adaptation, finance, options to move beyond 40% carbon cuts, and clarity on the types of efforts that will count toward reaching the target.”

“We look to European leaders to work with the less enthusiastic EU governments on a more fleshed out version before Paris, and to push back against the Commission’s continued habit of aiming low,” he said.

Energy Union

The ministers will also give their reactions to the Commission’s energy union strategy, published on 25 February. Energy ministers will gave their responses at a meeting on Thursday, and Latvia, which holds the presidency of the Council of Ministers, will consolidate the reactions before the European Council on 19-20 March.

The most contentious aspect of the energy union strategy is a proposal for the Commission to be involved in negotiations on gas contracts with non-EU countries, and for member states to be obliged to share information about such deals. This is designed to increase member states’ negotiating power with Russia.

However, it will face strong resistance from Hungary, which has a beneficial, and opaque, energy relationship with Russia. Other member states including Italy, may also object, and the issue will be the subject of heated discussion at the meetings of energy and environment ministers.

On Wednesday (4 March), Jean-Claude Juncker, the president of the European Commission, and Miguel Arias Cañete, the European commissioner for energy and climate action, presented the energy union’s strategy to increase energy interconnections at a summit un Madrid about interconnections between Spain, France and Portugal. The leaders of those three countries were also in attendance.

The environment ministers will also hold a debate on the EU’s post-2015 development agenda, which includes plans for a global partnership to eradicate poverty and promote sustainable development, due to be adopted this September.

Agreement on the agenda will have important implications for negotiations on a new climate change agreement.